B & N's Nook to Get App for Windows 8

Linc Wonham — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have formed a new partnership that aims to accelerate the digital world's transition to e-reading.

A new Barnes & Noble subsidiary backed in part by Microsoft’s $300 million investment will bring together B&N’s digital and college businesses. The two companies have settled their patent litigation and the new subsidiary will have a royalty-bearing license under Microsoft's patents for its NOOK e-reader and tablet products.

Microsoft will have an approximate 17.6-percent equity stake and Barnes & Noble will own approximately 82.4 percent of the new subsidiary, which has yet to be named and which will have an ongoing relationship with the company's retail stores. One of the intended benefits for consumers will be a NOOK application for Windows 8, which will extend the reach of Barnes & Noble's digital bookstore by providing one of the world's largest digital catalogues of e-books, magazines and newspapers to hundreds of millions of Windows customers.

The inclusion of Barnes & Noble's college business is also an important component of the new subsidiary’s strategic vision. Through the newly formed company, Barnes & Noble's NOOK Study software will provide students and educators the technology platform for the distribution and management of digital education materials in the market.

E-readers are Rewriting Retailers’ Bestseller Lists

Administrator — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 02:03:00 GMT

While many in the traditional publishing industry couldn’t wait to close the books on 2010, the makers of the leading e-book readers were trumpeting their record-setting year-end sales of the devices.

Earlier this week, Amazon announced that its third-generation Kindle is now the best-selling item in the company’s history after recently overtaking the "Deathly Hallows" seventh book in the Harry Potter series. Not to be outdone, Barnes and Noble announced on Thursday that its e-reader, the Nook, now qualifies as B&N’s all-time bestseller.

The Nook Color, introduced in October, was Barnes and Noble’s leading holiday seller, the company said. The statement released also included the news that Barnes and Noble now sells more e-books than traditional books through its online bookstore. On Christmas Day, the company reported, customers bought or downloaded close to one million e-books during the 24-hour span.

Meanwhile, Amazon claims that more people turned on their new Kindles, downloaded more Kindle apps and bought more Kindle e-books on Christmas Day than any other day in the history of the device. Simply put, the e-book market is white-hot as we head into the New Year.

'Net Features : nook

B & N's Nook to Get App for Windows 8

E-readers are Rewriting Retailers’ Bestseller Lists